Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Share your favorite Ableton Live tips, tricks, and techniques.
Post Reply
Greenapples2019
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by Greenapples2019 » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:56 am

Hi all, can anyone help me out please? I want to trigger samples in a drum rack using my midi controller, but have the samples quantised to launch at the start of the next bar - is it possible???

I know how to trigger drum rack samples immediately, and I know how to launch clips with quantisation, but neither of those solutions meets my needs on this occasion.

Thanks in advance

D

[jur]
Site Admin
Posts: 5311
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by [jur] » Mon Sep 27, 2021 11:36 am

Greenapples2019 wrote:
Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:56 am
launch clips with quantisation
Why isn't it working for you?
Ableton Forum Moderator

Greenapples2019
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by Greenapples2019 » Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:07 pm

Thanks for getting back to me. I use Ableton in session view with a live band and the project is a pretty complex mix of mic/line inputs, backing tracks, DMX control, ClyphX Pro commands, Program Changes for FX pedals etc. We have up to 3/4 scenes per song which I trigger quantized via midi controller and it all works really smoothly. On one song I want to be able to trigger a 16 bar sample every time we get to the chorus but because the verses are freeform in length I can't put it in the backing track, and I'd rather not have additional scenes if possible, so triggering via drum rack seems ideal if I can quantize the sample to start at the next bar. If I can't I'll have to trigger the drum rack unquantized or use quantized clips, which is ok but less than my ideal.

Does that make sense? If there's another way to do it then I'm happy to listen to any advice.

Cheers

D

[jur]
Site Admin
Posts: 5311
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by [jur] » Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:34 pm

Ok, I see.
I'm pretty sure you can find a M4L device that does that.
Or you just launch it unquantized, like if you were a drummer hitting a snare in time :wink:

I don't think this will do it, but I tried approximating what you need with native Live devices and I came up with this:

Image

In this example the sample in Simpler will get played after 1 bar, using the note off message and delaying 4 x 1/4 (since Note Length doesn't allow for longer note values)... thing is, it will be played 1 bar after you (de)pressed your key, not after the next quantized bar. Soooo, it's probably not gonna work for you.
Ableton Forum Moderator

Greenapples2019
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by Greenapples2019 » Mon Sep 27, 2021 3:19 pm

Ahhh thanks so much for doing that, you're right in that it doesn't necessarily solve my problem (just gives it to me a bar earlier!) but it set me thinking and I'll try it with two of the devices rather than four and then I can trigger it with half a bar notice, which may be easier logistically than at the start of the bar. The other option it made me think of would be to trigger it on the first beat, and have a ClyphX Pro command restart the clock to 1.1.1 (and hence click) so that at least the sample and the click are then aligned.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the thought.

Cheers

D

Greenapples2019
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by Greenapples2019 » Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:41 am

For those interested, there is a relatively simple way of doing this, thanks to SyphMusic (youtube.com/SyphMusic) for coming up with it.

Assume the drum rack is on Track 1 (with monitor set to In) and you want to trigger the sample on C1 at the start of the next bar. Set up a midi track on Track 2 with the midi in as your controller and midi out going to Track 1. Add a midi clip to Track 2 with a note of C1, set launch quantization to 1 bar and link that clip to the relevant pad on the midi controller. Then when you hit the pad it will, at the start of the next bar, trigger the C1 note on Track 2 which is sent to Track 1 and triggers the sample on the drum rack.

This is going to be really useful to me, and anyone else who wants to trigger drum rack samples at the start of the next bar. Thanks Syph!

[jur]
Site Admin
Posts: 5311
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by [jur] » Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:48 am

Greenapples2019 wrote:
Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:41 am
For those interested, there is a relatively simple way of doing this
Haha, as soon as I arrived at the end of this sentence, my brain suddenly realized what was the trick :lol:
No idea why I tried so hard finding something over-complicated and not even what you needed!
Anyway, happy that someone's brain worked correctly and gave you the solution!
Ableton Forum Moderator

Greenapples2019
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Drum Rack Launch Quantization

Post by Greenapples2019 » Thu Sep 30, 2021 7:22 am

Haha, thanks [jur], the solution is a lot neater than my explanation, and I'm glad Syph found it, I think it could be useful for a lot of people performing live.

Thanks again for your interest and efforts.

Cheers

D

Post Reply